What happened
Seconds after takeoff, the pilot of the Cessna aircraft experienced a total loss of pitch control while at an altitude of 30 to 50 feet above ground level. The airplane pitched upward uncontrollably, prompting the pilot to abort the climb. During the subsequent forced landing, the aircraft impacted hard on the remaining available runway. There were no fatalities or injuries reported.
The investigation
An examination of the elevator control system revealed that the push-pull control rod was broken within the empennage. The fracture features indicated fatigue. Investigators found that the adjacent end bearing of the control rod had seized and was unable to pivot or rotate at its attachment point in the bell crank assembly. This bearing was corroded and lacked lubrication. As the bearing seized, the attached control rod underwent repeated bending and flexing until it failed due to fatigue.
Findings
Maintenance records for the aircraft, which had a total time of 5,638 hours, showed that the last annual inspection occurred 8.5 months and approximately 148 hours before the accident. Although FAA Airworthiness Directive 73-21-01 required recurring lubrication of all flight control systems every year and every 100 hours of service to prevent corrosion and seizure, this aircraft had been operated 48 hours beyond the 100-hour limit without evidence of the required lubrication.